Mercedes Benz G350d Professional takes the G-Class back to its rugged roots
Two and a half years ago, Mercedes Benz announced that they were discontinuing the G-Class. The response by die-hard fans was sufficient to prompt Mercedes Benz to take the G-Class back to its roots, off the beaten path.
Mercedes Benz first released the G-Class as a military vehicle over 30 years ago. Since then, it has evolved into a sort of urban showoff vehicle that is popular with the ‘blingy’ crowd.
Mercedes Benz has heard its loyal fans and responded with the Mercedes-Benz G350d Professional. While its predecessor was based on the military spec G-Class (W461), the G350d Professional is based on the civilian version of the G-Class (W463).
The G350d Professional shares a few things with its ‘blingy’ cousin such as a multifunction steering wheel, electrically adjustable steering column and partially power adjustable front seats.
Most every other remnant from the luxury G-Class is gone including the infotainment system, power windows and seats, and even the carpets. In its place are manual windows and an interior that you can spray out with a hose on particularly dirty days. The G350d Professional features built in drain holes close to the seats.
The G350d Professional has a redesigned suspension system compared to the luxury G-Class. The result is a higher ground clearance of 9.6 inches compared to 9.2 inches for its luxury counterpart. This improves the approach and departure angle of the vehicle giving it a fording depth of 23.6 inches.
The slope climbing ability of the Professional is 100 percent, meaning that it can technically go anywhere depending upon ground and surface conditions.
The tough and rugged look is available as an option with the G350d Professional in the form of a steel front bumper with an electric winch, side running boards, a fixed trailer coupling, and a roof rack complete with ladder.
The engine powering the G350d Professional is a 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel putting out 245 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque.
Ordering for the G350d Professional starts in Germany on June 1 with market launch sometime in September.
Source: Mercedes Benz
